Garland Bars Many DOJ Staff From Attending Political Events Amid Trump Scrutiny

Topline

Attorney General Merrick Garland prohibited all Department of Justice political appointees from attending campaign events on Tuesday, as the agency’s investigation into former President Donald Trump—including its search of his home—draws close attention.

Key Facts

In a memo, Garland imposed strict new limits on political appointees, who were previously allowed to “passively” attend partisan events on their own time if they got permission from their boss or if a family member was running for office.

The DOJ’s political appointees—a group that includes people appointed by the president—can also no longer go to partisan events on election night.

Career staffers can still go to political events while off the clock, though many department employees who work in more sensitive roles—including senior leaders, FBI staff and members of the DOJ’s criminal or national security divisions—are only allowed to passively participate, according to the DOJ website and a memo issued Tuesday.

Key Background

Garland and President Joe Biden have repeatedly pledged to keep the DOJ independent from political interference. But in recent months, the department has been watched closely for how it handles a litany of high-profile, politically delicate investigations. Most notably, the FBI searched Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home earlier this month, part of a months-long investigation into a trove of sensitive documents that may have been improperly stored at the Florida club. Trump and many of his allies have accused the DOJ of acting with political motivation, but Garland—who says he personally approved the search—defended DOJ staff and said the decision to search a former president’s residence was not made lightly, while the White House denied knowledge of the raid. The DOJ has launched a set of other high-profile investigations that involve partisan figures, including Trump for his behavior after the 2020 election, Rudy Giuliani for foreign lobbying claims, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) for child sex trafficking allegations and Hunter Biden for his business and tax dealings.

What To Watch For

Garland’s promise to keep the DOJ politically independent could impact the timing of the investigations into Trump and other political figures. This year’s midterms are just over two months away, and the DOJ traditionally avoids taking any overt, politically sensitive investigative steps within 90 days of an election.

Tangent

Under Trump-era Attorney General William Barr, the DOJ faced allegations of political bias, including claims that DOJ leaders intervened in cases that clashed with Trump’s interests.